Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory: A Complete Guide for Design and Construction (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series) - Softcover

Hicks, John Stephen

9780387766034: Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory: A Complete Guide for Design and Construction (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0387766030 ISBN 13: 9780387766034

Publisher: Springer, 2008

Almost every amateur astronomer who has taken the pursuit to its second level aspires to a fixed, permanent housing for his telescope, permitting its rapid and comfortable use avoiding hours of setting-up time for each observing session. A roll-off roof observatory is the simplest and by far the most popular observatory design for today’s practical astronomers.

Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory is unique, covering all aspects of designing a roll-off roof observatory: planning the site, viewing requirements, conforming to by-laws, and orientation of the structure. The chapters outline step-by-step construction of a typical building.

The author, both an amateur astronomer and professional landscape architect, is uniquely qualified to write this fully-detailed book. A professionally designed roll-off observatory could cost as much as $3000 just for the plans – which are provided free with Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory.

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Review:

From the reviews:

"The subtitle of this book–A Complete Guide for Design and Construction–perfectly describes this well-illustrated accumulation of research and personal experience. The book opens with a discussion of the pros and cons of roll-off roof and domed observatories, and there are strong points made for both types. ... The time saved researching so much information makes this an extremely valuable resource to anyone considering building their own observatory–whatever design you choose." (Mark Parrish, Sky at Night Magazine, July, 2009)

"The author of this book has been selling plans and advising people on how to build roll-off-roof observatories for many years. ... He then proceeds to give detailed advice as to how to deal with everything from planning applications to the construction itself. ...Would I recommend the book? Yes." (Norman Walker, The Observatory, Vol. 129 (1211), August, 2009)

From the Back Cover:

Almost every practical astronomer who takes the pursuit to its second level aspires to a fixed, permanent housing for his telescope, permitting its rapid and comfortable use and avoiding hours of setting-up time for each observing session. A roll-off roof observatory is the simplest and by far the most popular observatory design for today’s practical astronomers.
Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory will help you decide whether to embark on the venture and will certainly provoke your enthusiasm for the project.
The author, both an amateur astronomer and professional landscape architect, answers many of the common questions asked around observatory construction covering the following topics:
Site planning, zoning, and by-law requirements common to most states, towns and municipalities
Opportunities for locating the observatory
Tailoring the observatory for your particular use
Tools and structural components required to build it
Variations in footing design to suit your soil conditions
Variations possible in design through photographs from owners throughout USA and Canada
Opportunity to utilize the structure for in combination with others–(incorporating a Garden patio under the gantry for example)
This fully-detailed book outlines step-by-step construction .
A professionally designed roll-off observatory could cost as much as $3000 just for these plans – which are provided with Building a Roll-off Roof Observatory.

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